African Youth Games Day 5: Weightlifters Arkoh and Amoah get deserved medals

Ghana’s two medallists in the men’s and women’s weightlifting competition are set to be rewarded with two more medals each after an anomaly was detected by the African Weightlifting Federation.

The athletes were apparently not given the standard three medals each for placing second in the snatch and, clean and jerk categories during their medal ceremonies due to a shortage of medals.

According to the Head coach of the Weightlifting team, Albert Abotsi, after competing in both the snatch and clean and jerk competitions, the athletes should have been given three medals based on their final placements in the three different event categories: i.e. the snatch, clean and jerk and also for the total amount of weight they lifted.

Albert Abotsi revealed that Team Ghana has already been notified of the decision by the African Weightlifting Federation to present the four medals to the athletes on Tuesday, 27 May in Gaborone.

This will bring Team Ghana’ total medal haul to six after Day 5 of the Games.

Badminton: There was more disappointment from Team Badminton in the singles events on day five of the Games, after number one seed Abraham Ayittey and his colleagues failed to make it to the semi finals and medal zones of their respective events.

In an uncharacteristic fashion, Ayittey was defeated by Mauritius’s top seed, Paul Julien in two straight sets 21:15 21-13.

There was more heartache for Ayittey as he and his partner Mohammed Adam missed the chance to win a medal in the men’s doubles after losing to Botswana’s Tsepo Perekisi and Tumisang Olekantse 21:18 21-19 in two closely fought sets.

It seemed fatigue had finally taken its toll on the youngsters because soon after, the pair of Ayittey and Diana Archer also lost out on an opportunity to medal when they lost the mixed doubles quarter finals to their counterparts from Mauritius, Paul Julien and Allet Aurelie 21-11 21-15.

In another mixed doubles encounter, Ghana’s Mohammed Adam and Victoria Asmah made a bright start in their game against Egypt’s Youssef Essam and Farida Mostafa, winning the first set before succumbing 14-21 21-17 23-21.

Diana Archer made a bold attempt to bring some hope to Ghana’s fading medal hopes when she came back from a set down to level 1:1, but she could do very little to stop Nigeria’s Dorcas Adesokan from winning the third set in the women’s singles 1/16 tie 21-17 7-21 21-17.

Table Tennis: Team Table Tennis recorded an impressive outing in the mixed doubles event as Isaac Amoako and Eve Adom Amankwah qualified for the quarter finals of the event.

The pair beat Zambia 2:0 but lost 2:1 to Nigeria to advance. They will get to know their next opponent after the draw is made on Tuesday morning.

The duo are billed to be in action later on in the day for a place in the semi finals and a chance to medal.

Cycling: Ghana’s lone cyclist, Frank David Awuku is set to be in action on Tuesday morning in the Cycling competition.

it means Ghana have won six silver medals in the African Youth Games so far with all medals coming in the Weightlifting competition.

Juliana Arkoh set the ball rolling with three silver medals in the girl’s 63kg category on Friday and was soon followed by Christian Amoah who also won three silver medals in the men’s 77kg weightlifting competition.

The athletics competition starts on Wednesday, 28 May. Ghana will be represented by 10 athletes made of sprinters, middle distance runners and field event competitors.